Wednesday, 16 August 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): My question is to the Minister for Public Transport. With the budget papers showing over $30 billion in cost blowouts on major projects, many of which are public transport projects managed by the Acting Premier, will the Minister for Public Transport seek wider responsibilities to better manage the delivery of public transport projects?

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, the question is not a serious question to a minister. It is not a good use of question time, and I ask that you rule it out of order on the basis that it is nothing other than a misuse of the time.

James Newbury: On the point of order, Speaker, of course it is entirely within order to ask matters that relate to public policy. The question related to a $30 billion cost blowout and whether the minister has made any representation to expand their portfolio. That is entirely within order as a matter of public policy.

The SPEAKER: Order! I rule the question in order. The Minister for Public Transport to answer the question.

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty, Minister for Employment, Minister for Public Transport) (14:29): It is incredible to be able to work with the Deputy Premier, because what we do is build transport infrastructure like the $100 billion Big Build, and what does that deliver?

Darren Cheeseman interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for South Barwon, you can leave the chamber for 1 hour.

Member for South Barwon withdrew from chamber.

Ben CARROLL: Thank you, Speaker. One thousand train services to the metropolitan line as a result of the Big Build, 800 regional services as a result of the Big Build, 20,000 bus services as a result of the Big Build and we are not finished yet. We have got the Metro Tunnel –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition!

Ben CARROLL: and every regional railway line being built and upgraded under our government. The regional fare cap – this is a government that is bringing equity for the very first time between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. No matter what your postcode is, you pay the same price under our Labor government, because we are getting on with the job. When you build transport infrastructure, you then add and do all the services. Member for Melton, the Ballarat line upgrade is a great example – a $500 million upgrade that saw level crossings being removed and additional services through the metropolitan line as well as the regional line, because transport infrastructure and public transport infrastructure go hand in hand. Unfortunately, they do not go hand in hand on that side of the chamber. Look at him now. They are just looking at him, saying what a silly question that was.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): With Victoria’s Auditor-General having identified serious shortcomings in the management of major projects, many of which are public transport projects managed by the Acting Premier, has the minister sought advice from his department about how these projects could be better managed?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty, Minister for Employment, Minister for Public Transport) (14:30): We are very –

John Pesutto interjected.

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition will refer to members not by their names but by their correct titles.

Ben CARROLL: We are getting on with the job of rebuilding our transport network. Not since federation has a Labor government invested so much in our public transport network. I am happy to go through it again: every regional railway line is being upgraded. The Metro Tunnel, which was number one on Infrastructure Victoria’s and number one on Infrastructure Australia’s lists – while they were in office, they did not touch it. They did not do one. Not one project was built when they were in office – not one project. And I have said this before: the ACT government built more public transport trams than they did, and they do not even have a tram network. They do nothing. When they get in they cut services, they cut regional railway lines and they let the Premier call the country the ‘toenails’.